Clarification
I have gotten many comments and emails about Hanzi Smatter. Many of them are in the category of:
“I know/seen someone that is Chinese/Japanese/Korean descend that has/had tattoo/shirt that has Hanzi/Kanji on them, therefore …”
I would like to reemphasize that “Hanzi Smatter is dedicated to the misuse of Chinese characters (hanzi or kanji) in Western culture.”
Having that said, certainly Asians would have Hanzi/Kanji tattoo on them, even though they are not popular in Asia. Especially considering it is their language, and a native Chinese/Japanese person would probably know Hanzi/Kanji better than any Westerner.
The problem is NOT that people are getting characters tattooed on them; it's that people who don't understand the characters are getting characters tattooed on them by other people who don't understand the characters. It is equivalent of “blind leading blind”. To those of us who do, it's a cause for mirth and head-shaking. (Thanks Brendan)
Another phenomenon I have encountered is:
“I have seen this character in a movie and it meant THIS, and your website says it meant THAT, therefore …”
Well, just because Hollywood says that is so doesn't mean it's true. (Thanks Anonymous)
A better question would be:
“Why are there so many badly done Hanzi/Kanji tattoos?”
Thanks to a tattoo artist and fellow reader Devin, that question has been answered:
“A kanji is the cheapest thing that you can get at the tattoo parlor. For the most part they require no thought and are chosen on impulse right before getting tattooed. Most of the people who get these tattoos don’t care what it is; they just want to be "cool".
Anyone serious about doing nice Japanese style tattoos either A) don’t get kanji’s, or B) do some research first. Most of the pictures you have [posted on Hanzi Smatter] are from people who should have never gotten tattooed period.
The tattoo artists don’t care what the kanji means because they don’t care what you put on your body, especially when you are getting the cheapest tattoo in the shop. Most tattoo artists can’t read Japanese so how do they know what that stuff says, all they know is that you’re sure that this is what you want on your body for the rest of your life.”
Happy reading
-tian [tiangotlost @ gmail . com]
“I know/seen someone that is Chinese/Japanese/Korean descend that has/had tattoo/shirt that has Hanzi/Kanji on them, therefore …”
I would like to reemphasize that “Hanzi Smatter is dedicated to the misuse of Chinese characters (hanzi or kanji) in Western culture.”
Having that said, certainly Asians would have Hanzi/Kanji tattoo on them, even though they are not popular in Asia. Especially considering it is their language, and a native Chinese/Japanese person would probably know Hanzi/Kanji better than any Westerner.
The problem is NOT that people are getting characters tattooed on them; it's that people who don't understand the characters are getting characters tattooed on them by other people who don't understand the characters. It is equivalent of “blind leading blind”. To those of us who do, it's a cause for mirth and head-shaking. (Thanks Brendan)
Another phenomenon I have encountered is:
“I have seen this character in a movie and it meant THIS, and your website says it meant THAT, therefore …”
Well, just because Hollywood says that is so doesn't mean it's true. (Thanks Anonymous)
A better question would be:
“Why are there so many badly done Hanzi/Kanji tattoos?”
Thanks to a tattoo artist and fellow reader Devin, that question has been answered:
“A kanji is the cheapest thing that you can get at the tattoo parlor. For the most part they require no thought and are chosen on impulse right before getting tattooed. Most of the people who get these tattoos don’t care what it is; they just want to be "cool".
Anyone serious about doing nice Japanese style tattoos either A) don’t get kanji’s, or B) do some research first. Most of the pictures you have [posted on Hanzi Smatter] are from people who should have never gotten tattooed period.
The tattoo artists don’t care what the kanji means because they don’t care what you put on your body, especially when you are getting the cheapest tattoo in the shop. Most tattoo artists can’t read Japanese so how do they know what that stuff says, all they know is that you’re sure that this is what you want on your body for the rest of your life.”
Happy reading
-tian [tiangotlost @ gmail . com]
posted by tian at
1:12 AM
1 Comments:
I don't have a photo, but at my gym I saw a guy with "nine" (九) tattooed on his back. I can't help but think it was a mistaken attempt to tattoo "strength" (力).
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